Abusive supervision and knowledge sharing: the moderating role of organizational tenure

Abstract

Purpose Drawing on social exchange theory (SET) and conservation of resources (COR) theory, the purpose of this paper is to examine the negative consequence of abusive supervision on knowledge sharing. Further, this paper explores the moderating role of organizational tenure in the relationship between abusive supervision and employees’ knowledge sharing behavior applying sense-making theory. Design/methodology/approach The hypotheses were tested using regression analysis across two independent studies conducted in South Korea. Findings The authors found evidence that there was a negative relationship between abusive supervision and employees’ knowledge sharing behavior. Furthermore, the aforementioned relationship was strengthened for those with longer organizational tenure. Originality/value This research deepens our understanding of the negative consequences of abusive supervision on employees’ knowledge sharing behavior by drawing on SET and COR theory. Through two independent studies, the results demonstrated that employees who receive abusive treatment from their supervisors tend to reduce their knowledge sharing behavior. Furthermore, this detrimental effect is stronger for key knowledge providers, namely long-tenured employees.